The ‘Batman vs. Superman’ Plot Explained by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Beyond the recent Batman vs. Superman trailer, we still don't know a lot about the upcoming superhero rumble. Particularly, why are Superman and Batman even fighting each other? It might seem weird to seek superhero movie guidance from an astrophysicist, but when that astrophysicist is Neil deGrasse Tyson (whose voice you heard in the aforementioned trailer) you take notice. Especially when he starts describing the Batman vs. Superman plot and the main crux of the beef between these two superheroes.

Tyson, who provided part of the voiceover in the trailer and is rumored to have a part as himself in the film, was on The Daily Show recently and Jon Stewart didn't waste any time getting to the important topic, like what the hell is Batman doing fighting Superman? And, because he is a scientist who likes to explain things, he answered, “I will tell you.”

You should watch the video above for the entire segment, but here's a brief summary of the most important point:

What matters is the public reception of the superheroes conduct. If Batman executes our wishes in the city, and Superman does whatever the hell he wants...that’s a conflict.

Essentially, the public is comfortable with Batman because a) he's not an alien, b) he didn't just destroy an entire city fighting a bad guy and c) he reports to Commissioner Gordon. He is a vigilante, but a government-sponsored vigilante. Superman, on the other hand, answers to no one. He does things on his own whim based on what he feels is important. And just recently, he pretty much trashed all of Metropolis trying to defeat Zod. So, as the public perception toward Superman begins to shift, Batman is sent to stop him.

Now, you can also assume that Lex Luthor is there, behind the scenes, pulling a lot of the strings.

It's not exactly an official plot synopsis, but since we don't have one of those yet, this is the best sort of explanation from someone on the inside that we're going to get.

Batman vs. Superman opens in theaters on March 28, 2016.

Check Out the History of Batman in Movies